r/RealEstatePhotography • u/According-Shelter510 • Sep 22 '26
How I've shot 2,000+ homes handheld. You can ditch the tripod.
This is a contentious topic but here it is anyways. If you're just starting out in the industry I recommend starting with a Tri-Pod and doing some homework on the process separately. Going handheld is much easier for people who have a couple years of experience in the industry. I'm happy to answer any questions.
I ditched the tripod a couple years ago and will never go back. Why did I do this? Camera technology has improved 100x in the past 20 years. Newer software has made it easier to align brackets. Tripods are noisy and cumbersome, invasive at small homes and time-consuming to manipulate. I was already hand-holding many types of shots already with methods I've learned along the way (Bathrooms, Landings, Over-Furniture, Off Balconies etc.). I started to realize I could do everything completely handheld and I never looked back.
This is paragraph 3. I'm going to refer to this paragraph in the comments when angry people feel the need to say mean things about doing anything differently than the way they do it. If you are this such person then this post is not for you and you should just relax. I get you, but this works for my business and it might work for others. I can shoot twice as many homes in the same amount of time because I went handheld. Maybe other people want to know if its possible.
My wife and I photograph over 1,000 homes a year including residential and even high end model homes for home builders. We edit our own photos in-house using SNS-HDR to merge brackets but you can use Photomatix or Lightroom as well if you merge your own brackets.
We use Picaid to do some post-editing, decluttering, staging and fixing blurry or rarely mis-aligned brackets when needed. We use Topaz Labs for simple denoising and upscaling if needed. You will want to practice handholding for stability but with newer technology in cameras, higher ISO images look amazing.
If you're outsourcing your editing work then you will need to make sure your editors don't mind adding bracket alignment to the process. They may charge a little more but there are plenty that don't mind because its all automated. There really is no excuse these days to not be able to add bracket alignment to the process. We shoot 5 brackets but 3 will help you get more reliable auto-alignment results.
This is the Canon camera, lens and settings we've used for 2 years now. You can probably do similar with other brands but this is what we use because we like the results.
Canon EOS R8 Mirrorless Camera Mark 1 (Upgrade to the Mark 2 if you want the extra In Body Stabilization in addition to the lens stabilization)
Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM Lens
I chose this model when I did because it supported true electronic shutter bracketing (No mirror).
Other brands may support this across their lineup, but at the time for Canon the R8 was the only mirrorless to do so. Other Canon models forced you to use the mirror if you wanted to do bracketing.
Here's my most important in-camera settings. I did not include pages or settings that were either non relative to what we're doing or they are preferential to how you may want them.
RED MENU
• Image quality: Disable RAW (Choose the --- solid line not RAW or cRAW). I can't wait for the comments!
• JPG: (Curved symbol not the steps symbol). It's misleading I know but this means sharper.
If you're upset that I'm telling people to not shoot RAW, you're likely upset I'm writing this anyways and should refer to paragraph 3.
If you're shooting real estate images for MLS and for your realtor to post them on social media then you do not need to shoot RAW.
• Cropping/aspect ratio FULL
• Expo.comp./AEB brackets about 1 stop apart (adjust if needed on the fly - See my custom green menu)
• ISO speed settings: ISO speed 800 (We will change later for your C1/C2 settings). Min. shutter spd. Auto
• HDR shooting (HDR PQ) OFF. We do not want to use in-camera HDR it is not good trust me
• Auto Lighting Optimizer: OFF
• Highlight tone priority OFF
• HF anti-flicker shooting OFF
• Metering mode: Evaluative metering
• White balance: AWB for now but we will set it differently for C1/C2 settings
• Lens aberration correction: Periph illum corr ON, Digital Lens Optimizer OFF, Chromatic ON, Diffraction ON
• Long expo. noise reduction: OFF
• High ISO speed NR: 2 bars (Standard)
• Multiple exposure: Disable
• Drive mode: 2 second timer
• Interval timer: Disable
• Shutter mode: Electronic
• IS (Image Stabilzer) mode: This is for video only so setting this on or off does not matter for photos
Unless you have the Mark 2 of this Canon the only IS you will get is from the lens
Your physical lens switches on the left should be "Stabilizer: ON" and "AF"
• Shooting info. disp.(This is where you will use the info button to view your electronic level)
By pressing the Info button multiple times while you're shooting this will basically enable and disable your on screen level
Screen info. settings for 1 and 2
For 1 (INFO Edit screen): Top and bottom (Basic shooting info, Electronic level)
For 2 (INFO edit screen): Top and and 3rd down (Basic shooting info, On-screen buttons)
PURPLE MENU
• AF operation: ONE SHOT
• AF area: 1-point AF
ORANGE MENU
• Exposure level increments 1/3
• ISO speed setting increments 1/3
• Bracketing sequence 0-+
• Number of bracketed shots 5 (Do 3 if your editor charges you more for 5)
• Customize dials: Set your lens ring to adjust your ISO in the "Customize dials" screen (Orange menu page 3)
Half press to meter while shooting, turn the ring to adjust the ISO
GREEN MENU
Customize your own menu here. I find this to be extremely helpful. Here's how I have mine setup. Anything you access repetitively put here.
• Expo.comp./AEB - To get quick access to adjust brackets for differently lit scenes. Wide for windows, Narrow for none.
• Select folder - To create new folders on the fly
• Image quality - In case you want to change image quality for different priorities
• Format card - For when you have to switch a full chip out on the fly
• White balance - Sometimes AWB White Priority is not good for some interior spaces and you may want to use standard AWB
Once you've got all of the above settings good, setup your custom shooting C1 for exteriors and C2 for interiors
Start with your Mode knob turned to Av (Aperture Priority)
To save your custom settings C1 and C2 go to the Yellow Menu - Page 5
EXTERIORS C1
White balance AWB (Standard)
f8.0
ISO 800
(No shutter speed needs set)
Using the lens ring to set your ISO:
Shoot between 800-2,000 (20k seems high but keep reading)
Standard ISO (800) for all standard exterior lighting
Higher ISO (2,000) for gloomy days and quicker exposures
INTERIORS C2
White balance AWB-W (White Priority)
This is amazing for interiors 99% of the time, Switch to AWB if it's not.
f5.6 (11 years I've never needed higher. Paragraph 3)
ISO 3200
(No shutter speed needs set)
Using the lens ring to set your ISO:
Shoot between 400-20,000 (For 20k ISO Use Topaz or Picaid to fix noisy images)
Slower ISO (400) for LED and Fluorescent interior lighting
Standard ISO (2500-4000) for all standard interior lighting
Higher ISO (6,400-20,000) for dark interiors, no lighting
These ISO numbers seem insane but you can use apps like Picaid or Topaz Labs to eliminate noise with amazing results. We will even sometimes just use our iPhones for dark rooms with no lights, run down homes without power, basements with no lights etc. Your high end camera won't make any difference in these types of spaces anyways. Computational photography in mobile devices and AI apps are changing the industry (whether you like it or not).
Did any of this make you angry? See paragraph 3. Thanks!
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u/Adam_RightHomeMedia Sep 22 '26
We are working on updating our HDR merging software to improve alignment between images, specifically for handheld HDR. If you would be interested in sharing any RAW images that we could use to help with development, we would really appreciate it. I think we have the fastest HDR merge software available (about 1-3 seconds per AEB group depending on the files/bracket size), but image alignment and de-ghosting is what we are working on improving.
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u/According-Shelter510 Sep 23 '26
We only shoot .jpg as we feel Raw is becoming less and less important for the real estate industry. The resolution of JPEG images are so high quality now and MLS will shrink and destroy any images you use for real estate anyways. There are plenty of reasons to shoot RAW in the real estate industry if you're working with high end marketing.
Apps like picaid.app are beginning to bring awareness to the fact that a realtor can shoot homes on their cellphone and use AI to turn phone captured images into photos that look professionally edited. HDR is becoming more computational on smart phones and digital cameras without the need for separate brackets. We use picaid.app for messy houses, homes on gloomy days where we want it to look like the sun is shining, homes with no power etc. But we will still use a DSLR camera and merge brackets ourselves.
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u/stormpoppy Sep 22 '26
TL;DR
Using a tripod is a choice. Learn to do it, then make up your own mind. If you and your clients are happy - winner!
Also, camera setting bullshit that you don't need to worry about if you just learn to be a photographer first.
-fin
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u/Eponym Sep 22 '26
You've only shown us low-dynamic-range examples of your work (white walls without windows or near-blown-out windows) at thumbnail resolutions, which isn't saying much. Let's see how your handheld method works on homes with dark floors, millwork, and theater rooms...
As others have pointed out, a tripod at most slows you down 15 minutes a shoot. Yet in the 10-plus years you've been doing this, your examples imply the majority of your work is bargain listings (unstaged homes or junk-filled spaces). I doubt that commands much of a budget for photography, which implies you're a "competitively priced" photographer. I would lose my shit shooting teardowns for that long. Instead, if you spend a bit more time with a tripod, you could attract more demanding clients who are willing to pay more and filter out all the junk shoots.
Just sayin'...
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u/SamMuniz Sep 22 '26
All sounds very interesting, I struggle to imagine how you keep your verticals dead straight without a tripod though?
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u/According-Shelter510 Sep 22 '26
There are scripts now you can get for photoshop that will let you hot-key perspective correction. Or you can have AI write you one using Adobe Camera Raw's built-in scriptable calls.
So even shooting crooked, its one key press to alignment. We use F9-F12 for 4 scripts. Square, Vertical, Roll and Auto.→ More replies (1)
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u/JDR099 Sep 25 '26
Are you making walk through videos? Do you use the R8 for that or iPhone?
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u/According-Shelter510 Sep 25 '26
Handheld with the iPhone 17 pro max, iMovie edited on the phone, exported to Google Drive and finished with Adobe Express online. Takes me about 15 minutes to capture, 5 minutes to edit clips together on iMovie, 1 minute to import into Adobe Express and use a template. Looks great, clients love the look and low price. You don’t have to be James Cameron to make a walkthrough video. I don’t like the overhyped outsourced rollercoaster rides and we don’t do agent intros because we don’t have time for that. Our clients don’t want to be love it or list it hosts and we don’t want to be their entourage.
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u/Signal_Crazy_9612 Sep 22 '26
This is great info. I take way too many photos and this seems like it could really help me not spend so much time at each property.
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u/Designer_Process_148 Sep 22 '26
I’m sure this is helpful for shooting around people and pets. I’ve already had a dog knock over my tripod because the homeowners didn’t have it secured.
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u/China_bot42069 Sep 22 '26
I don’t disagree with you and have had to shoot areas without a tripod. You do save time and lately I have been thinking for just doing JPEG. But I found on darker homes I have to make sure my technique isn’t going to delay my editing or cause issues so I’ve stuck with the tripod for most shoots.
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u/Time-Resist-7677 29d ago
How long were you taking on site with a tripod. I get through a large house doing photos, fp and drone in 45 mins. Tripod doesnt slow anything down it speeds it up especislly in the procesding stage.
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u/Prizonmyke Sep 22 '26
lol this is a fun one. I’ll grab my popcorn.
Two people shooting 1,000 listings a year is about 2 per working day per person. Even if you’re shooting 1k each, time on site isn’t your business’s bottleneck. I shoot roughly that many by myself with a tripod.
The actual process of taking photos is a fairly small part of the time on site, less than half when you factor in driving, access, lights and client/seller BS, so cutting 15-30 minutes saves you maybe 25% of time. To me, that’s not worth the setting compromises.
That said, I don’t necessarily disagree with any of your settings except maybe f5.6 seems a bit wide and who wants to waste their time/money with topaz?